SummaryLane, Bertie and Fred once shared a polyamorous relationship in New Orleans. Lane loved Bertie, Fred loved Bertie, they had a balance that worked... until it didn’t, and Lane vanished from their lives. Two years later, Bertie and Fred have gotten married and are living at Fred’s family home in the countryside of southern France. When Lane unexpe... Read More
Directed By:Marion Hill
Written By:Marion Hill
Ma Belle, My Beauty
Metascore
Generally Favorable
65
User score
Universal Acclaim
9.1
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
65
67% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
33% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jun 12, 2021
91
It’s all so breezy and light that you just want to join them and hang out for a while, even with all the drama they’ve got brewing.
Aug 22, 2021
70
Ma Belle, My Beauty excels in its visual storytelling, which is paired beautifully with a lively acoustic score and talented actors.
User score
Universal Acclaim
9.1
91% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
9% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Dec 7, 2021
10
Authentic and real - don't miss Ma Belle, My Beauty Ma Belle, My Beauty is a beautiful film portraying a nuanced and layered love story. The film centers the relationship between Bertie and Lane, two women who have loved and hurt each other, as they navigate their past and present. Unlike many films these days, this movie isn't trying to make a point or spell out a foregone conclusion, rather it's an authentic and real depiction of navigating identity, communication, and connection. Set in a beautiful location in the South of France, the film is a sensory delight that transports you to a strong sense of place through the attention and care it gives to sights, smells, sounds - a deep and genuine love note to the Cevennes region in France.
Nov 23, 2021
10
I am so glad I decided to stream Ma Belle, My Beauty!! I had seen some of the great reviews popping up here and there. Bored at home one afternoon, I saw the Apple trailer and decided to settle in for cozy watch from my couch. My husband watched it with me and loved it. We paused the movie many times so we could discuss the storyline - we were so wrapped up in it! I lived in France and studied French literature for many years. This felt like a beautiful journey back to all the wonderful and challenging aspects of living abroad. There were so many beautiful layers of culture and understanding laid out in this film. National identity, gender identity, sexual identity, professional identity... nuances of love, responsibility, loyalty, creativity, citizenship... it all overlaps in a thoughtful way. I absolutely found myself caught up in the journey of these characters - loving them, hating them, and then loving them again. I am not surprised at all that it received fan favorite at Sundance. Absolutely recommend!
Jun 12, 2021
70
In this triangulated love story there is more roiling it than just desire. Although the central characters reflect the vast array of LGBTQ folk, the movie isn’t a coming-out tale. . . . These characters are in the midst of their lives, with many of the duties and emotions that come with that.
Aug 20, 2021
63
Anchored by four very good performances, Ma Belle, My Beauty unfortunately suffers from inertia and a lack of conflict. There is conflict, but it's presented in such a languishing way that it leaves the film grasping for something solid to hold onto.
Jun 12, 2021
60
The acting from the central four actors is quite soulful, but we don’t get enough access to these characters’ inner conflicts. Too often, the narrative’s configuration feels like an intriguing second draft instead of a ready-to-shoot script, something that someone with an external eye might help finesse into something truly captivating.
Aug 24, 2021
50
Rather than a meditation on desire, Ma Belle, My Beauty becomes a portrait of how people simultaneously crave intimacy and keep each other at bay. Viewers may wish there were more to it, but what’s there is teasingly intriguing.
Nov 19, 2021
10
Visually stunning and thought provoking! Filmed in Anduze in the South of France, the scenes were lush, and the stone house's interior set an intimate venue to work through abandonment, betrayal and yearning. While gender identity plays its part, love and connection are universal, and I'd watch Ma Belle again and again. Another reviewer felt it moved too slowly, but I appreciated the unfolding of the relationships. I savored the feint and parry as a former lover suddenly reappears after a two year absence, and tries to reestablish her presence. The anger, the regret, the pull to reconnect was excellent. The landscape of the South of France was a main character and its magic was compelling. Rich, complex, well done!
Nov 18, 2021
10
I love everything about this film! Breathtaking experience! Excellent job and congratulations to all involved with making this beautiful art.
Nov 18, 2021
10
If you missed your summer vacation in southern Europe this year, no worries, Ma Belle, My Beauty will transport you there for a fraction of the cost. Beautifully filmed in the south of France amidst vineyards; charming market towns; old stone farmhouses and breathtaking scenery, you will want to jump into the set and follow along with the characters as they navigate the twists and turns of a broken polyamorous relationship. The jazzy soundtrack adds another level of enjoyment to the experience. Keep a bottle of wine and the corkscrew handy. Well worth the price of admission!
Nov 18, 2021
10
Ma Belle is gorgeous-
Hill's narrative is artfully written; they guide us through the relationship's dynamics with a nuanced dance of perspectives, sowing empathy and resentment in kind as the throuple's history is revealed. The acting is excellent (there's a particular confrontation scene between two characters later in the film that HITS). The score is vibrant, with an exceptionally tasteful/immersive use of diegetic music. The visual language is expressive, warm and languid, while still authentically communicating loss, loneliness, abandonment, etc. 10/10 worth the watch.
Nov 18, 2021
10
Everything about this film is luscious and complex and beautifully-wrought. The performances are honest and connected, and the story pushes forward with compulsion and movement -- helped by the gorgeous, jazzy score and outrageously good cinematography. In small moments, this film reveals a ton without saying all that much. The silence and the physicality of the actors connect us to their struggles and joy, and we care deeply about their evolution (or regression, however you see it). Please watch and share with those you love -- not one to miss.
Production Company:
- EFI productions
Release Date:Aug 20, 2021
Duration:1 h 33 m
Awards
Sundance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Cleveland International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
